13th District (Pelham, City Island, Throgs Neck, Allerton and Morris Park): Single-family homeowners worried about overdevelopment give this Democratic district a conservative streak. The current council member, Madeleine Provenzano, a Democrat, has straddled party lines on many votes. To fill her seat, she has endorsed Stephen Kaufman, who ran a ridiculous and losing State Senate campaign last year as both a Democrat and a Republican. In this race, Mr. Kaufman, who also has the Conservative Party line, is one of six Democrats in the primary.
The candidate whose credentials make him the standout in the field is James Vacca. As the district manager for Community Board 10, he has become renowned as a solver of problems large and small. He has blocked oversized construction, challenged City Hall on the aggressive proliferation of parking tickets and been a longtime advocate for senior citizens. Mr. Vacca would be a welcome dose of steady energy on the Council. We endorse James Vacca.
41st District (Bedford-Stuyvesant, Ocean Hill and Brownsville): The Boyland family, headed by the retired Assemblyman William Boyland Sr., regards this district as its own private political preserve. After Mr. Boyland won re-election to the Assembly two years ago, he stepped down and handed his seat over to his son, William Jr. Now he is running for City Council, hoping to succeed Tracy Boyland, his daughter, who is term-limited.
Mr. Boyland, who did not make himself available for an endorsement interview, told the good-government organization Citizens Union, ''I would like to do what Tracy did.'' That alone is reason to consider extending term limits to include family members. If Ms. Boyland distinguished herself in the Council, it was for nonperformance.
The non-Boylands in the race are plenty, which could splinter the vote to the family's advantage. The ball of fire here is Darlene Mealy, a transit worker and first-time candidate who has devoted years to organizing distressed neighborhoods and helping transform them into safe, desirable places to live. Ms. Mealy has the makings of a dragon slayer, which this underserved district needs. Darlene Mealy gets our endorsement.
25th District (Jackson Heights, Elmhurst, East Elmhurst, Corona, Rego Park and Woodside): Even in this city of variety, it's hard to match the diversity in this district. The incumbent, Helen Sears, deserves credit for her work in seeking accommodation for day laborers in the district and extending health care services for immigrant women. She also helped the successful drive to keep Wal-Mart out of the district. But some of her votes in the Council have been off key -- like her opposition to the lead paint bill and a resolution calling on the government to uphold immigrant rights under the Patriot Act.
Her main opponent is Bryan Pu-Folkes, a lawyer who serves as a city human rights commissioner and has a long history as an immigrant advocate. Mr. Pu-Folkes, whose parents emigrated from Burma and Jamaica, shows the promise of being more than just a good public servant. He is already a role model for young immigrants and could pull more of them into civic life. Among his top priorities would be to reduce pollution and expand public green spaces, both important goals for a district with high rates of asthma. Bryan Pu-Folkes has a firm grip on the issues and exudes a confident eagerness to take them on, and wins our endorsement.